Sunday, July 01, 2012

First we were, like, "D'oh!", then we were like "Yum!"

Rolled out of bed and out the door early to meet Brigid, Bayou Renaissance Man, and Miss D at the range. Roomie begged off the trip, being laid low with a headache of epic proportions thanks to the wild barometric gyrations going on around here.

As I was going through the Mickey D's drive-thru for some emergency stomach ballast, my phone started ringing. It was Brigid, telling me that Iggle Crick was closed for the GSSF match. Having but a single Glock amongst the four of us, we decided to fall back and punt. (Although I was sorely tempted: Given the number of cars there, the odds of a free Glock were probably pretty decent.)

Brigid pondered aloud on the idea of going to one of Broad Ripple's famous breakfast joints. I McThrew the rest of my McBiscuit in the McTrash and off we went to Zest.

(By way of response to docjim505's comment here "Some of our sales force describe the culinary horizons of Indianapolis
as being somewhat... limited. As in, "You CAN get a good meal there;
they have an Applebee's."", photos of yesterday's grub at Brugge are available here, and Brigid's camera was whirring at the table this morning, so there will probably breakfast-chow-type food porn along shortly. Your sales force will thank you. :) )

A city the size of Indy, I'd think you would have to work at finding just questionable chain restaurant food. I have only visited once, and I still remember the Mexican restaurant we ate at quite fondly, especially in comparison to the crap I was getting on the East Coast at the time.

We tried Biscuits Mexican American diner yesterday. I knew the food wouldn't be bad when I walked in and the place was completely packed. It's nothing fancy, but you won't leave hungry. I had lunch, but the breakfasts looked really good and are served all day. It's behind 3 Wisemen. You might try it sometime.

I ws in Indianapolis a while ago on business and ate at a seafood house out next to the airport. I can't remember the name, but a classy sort of place in a big name hotel.

I eat regularly all up and down the Connecticut and Rhode Island coast, and I haven't had fresher or better prepared fish in Point Judith, Rhode Island, right down on the commercial docks at The Wheelhouse, Champlin's, or Georges.

And I've sat on the upper rear deck at The Wheelhouse and watched the cook go out on the dock and haggle with the fishermen as they tie up.

I was floored, and sent my thanks and appreciation to the Chef, who is probably one of Indianapolis's underappreciated wonders.

Some of our sales force describe the culinary horizons of Indianapolis as being somewhat... limited. As in, "You CAN get a good meal there; they have an Applebee's.

I'm sure there are those who would say the same of San Antonio, and they're just as wrong. I would not be surprised if our fair city's culinary scene has the same problem Indy does, as described by Shootin' Buddy. But either way, there are great places to eat here beyond Applebee's...and Whataburger and Taco Cabana, too, as much as we love the last two. You just have to look for them. I'm sure it's the same in any other large American city.

I refer to Mickey D's as a Bauchstelle (belly fill-up), a play on Tankstelle ([gas]tank fill-up). Generally I would expect good restaurants in a city the size of Indianapolis. It's the little cities, smaller than, say, Eureka, CA (circa where I get hinky about the food and want to eat at a chains (I still haven't eaten at the Samoa Cookhouse, for example.